Case for cigarettes and other articles



April 20,1926. 153 547 A. F. ROWE CASE FOR CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov. 17, 1924 INVENTOR- Ji'fiam.

l atented Apr- 192%" UNITED STATES ARTHUR FRANCIS sown, or LEATHERI-IEAD, EneLAivn CASE FOR CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES.

Application filed November 17, 1924-. Sei'iaI no. 750,405.

To all whom it may concern y Be it known that I, ARTHUR FRANoIs Rowe, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 16 The Crescent, Leatherhead. Surrey, England, have invented Improve ments in and Relating to Cases for Cigarettes and Other Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cases for cigarettes and other articles but more particularly to cigarette, cigar and like hinged foldable cases and has for its primary object the substitution of a spring controlled device for holding the cigarettes or cigars Wllillilll'SllCll cases in place of the usual ela's tic tape or band. In cases of the latter type, particularly cigarette cases, it is usual to employ an elastic tape stretched from one side of the case to the other in order to position the cigarettes in place, now these elastic tapes not only perish and quickly lose their resiliency, especially in warm climates, and are diflicult to renew, but they also make it ditticult to extract a cigarette without damaging it. Moreover in curved or shaped cases in which provision is made for a double row of cigarettes, the cigarettes on the one side are tightly pressed by the retaining band, whilst those on the other side are loosely held due to the convex and concave surfaces respectively on which they rest. Now the present invention not only overcomes these drawbacks but also allows the case to be more readily filed and emptied.

The present invention as applied to a single row, or to each side of a double row, cigarette case comprises essentially a spring supported and controlled clip consisting of a retaining bar and side pieces so shaped at both its ends that the retaining bar normally .lies in contact with the cigarettes and retains them in position and is capable of be ing turned back clear of them or to allow of being slightly raised by one cigarette when lifted for removal without in any way injuring it.

This invention will be now more particularly described making reference to the ac companying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation of a double row cigarette case-in an open positionembodying the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a similar cigarette case showing the functioning of the retaining clips.

Throughout both views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.

A spring supported and controlled clip constructed according to the present invention consists of' a transversely arranged retaining bar a of relatively thin metal of a length approximating. the width of the case a: and having side pieces 5 Z) bent downward ly at right angles to the bar a and parallel with'the sides of the case or. Within and on each side parallel therewithof the case w is carried the springs 0 supporting and con trolling the bar a.

Each spring 0 consists of a length of spring wire held at oneend thereof to the side of the case by'being inserted in and soldered to a looped metal projection or upper edge of the side of the case, the other end of the spring wire is'bent at right angles to engage a hole a near the end of the side piece 6 and terminates in a thickened head or if preferred this end of the spring may be bent into a hook to prevent its accidental withdrawal from the hole e.

The downward pressure of the Springs 0 causes the extremities of the side pieces .7) to take a bearing on or to fulcrum on the inner surface of the case on raising the retaining bar, see more particularly the left hand side of Fig. 2. These fulcruming extremities of the side pieces I) are rounded oil at f to prevent their cuttinggrooves or ruts in the inner surface of the case 00 and such fulcruming extremities coincide with the ends of cigarettes when lying in a normal position with the case, so that as a cigarette is raised for withdrawal (see the right hand side of Fig. 2), its end follows the same path as that of the fulcruming extremities of the side pieces Z). The free ends of the side pieces I) are further so shaped or bevelled off that when the retaining bar a is raised and passes a vertical position, the springs 0 cause it to come to a position of rest clear of the contents of the case, as shown on the left hand side of Fig. 2 so as to enable the case to be readily filled with cigarettes.

The springs 0 instead of being made from springy wire as shown, may be of the blade type.

The inner surface of the retaining bar a may in some cases be lined with a strip of velvet, india rubber or the like or may be coated with a suitable material to enable it socket d'formed on or attached to the lip or better frictionally to engage or grip the cigarettes when lying normally in the case;

\Vhen the device is applied to a curved or shaped case, see Fig. 2, the retaining bars a are curved to correspond to the curvature of the case, and when the device is applied to a double row case, as illustrated, the retaining bar a, side pieces band controlling springs c are placed in one side of the case in an inverted' position to that occupied by the bar, side pieces and springs inthe other side of the caseand so that the bars a do not coincide when the case is closed. 1

Although this invention has been specifically described with reference to cigarette cases, it will be understood tha't with necessary modifications it is equally applicable :to cigar cases or other cases adapted to contain a number of regularly shaped articles placed side by side such as variously coloured pencils, crayons; or chalks.

I declare that hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is ,1. In a case for, cigarettes and other articles,-a spring supported and controlled clip consisting of a transverse retaining bar of relatively thin metal, side pieces bent doWn- Wardly at right angles to the bar and parallel With the sides of the case and a pair of springs one for each side piece and each consisting of a blade spring held at one end to the side of the case, the other end engaging the free end of one of the side pieces of the retaining bar, as set forth. v

2. In a case for cigarettes and other articles, a spring supported and controlled clip consisting of a transverse retaining bar of relatively thin metahsid'e pieces bent downwardly at right angles to the bar and parallel with the sides of the case and having their free ends rounded and bevelled off to $111- cruin onthe inner surface ofthe case on raising the bar, and a pair of springs one for each side "piece a'nd each consisting of a length of spring Wire rigidly held atone end to the side of the cfase,"the other end being bent at right angles r0 engage a hole near the free end of one of the side pieces of the retaining bar, asset forth.

'ARTHUR FRANCIS sown. 

